WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – A White Plains teacher died last week in Maryland, where she went to have an abortion, according to the organization Operation Rescue.

Jennifer Morbelli, a New Rochelle resident who was a substitute teacher at Church Street Elementary School in White Plains, died Feb. 7 in a Maryland hospital.

The Montgomery County Medical Examiner’s office is investigating the cause of death, Bruce Goldfard, office spokesman, said. He would not go into details about the investigation or say if she had had an abortion.

Operation Rescue, a national anti-abortion group, says Morbelli died from complications during an abortion at a clinic in Germantown, Md., run by LeRoy Carhart. The group says Morbelli was in the 33rd week of pregnancy. Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, said the group found out about the death because it keeps track of Carhart.

"It's terribly sad news," said schools Superintendent Chris Clouet. "She was a vibrant person. Everybody in the building really responded to her and her vitality. Her loss is just tragic in every way."

Counselors spoke with students and staff Monday about her death, according to published reports.

“Everyone's very sad about it,” Michelle Schoenfield, spokesperson for the school district, said.